Are you thinking that above depiction is of some hospital in a developed country or intensely expensive private hospital…??? If you just nodded yes, hold for a while, you are mistaken. It is the depiction of Pakistan’s health sector…astonishes…yeah its true…in support of my above statement I am going to share same examples here:

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Civil Hospital, Karachi

It is one of the finest and first cardiac surgical unit under Sindh government established in April 2000. It covers 6000 sq.ft. , with an operation theater, 4 bedded ICU and 10 bedded ward. The maintenance is remarkable. Here the patient care is the utmost priority and the hygienic condition is appreciable.

The most important thing here to mention is that these all facilities given here are free of cost. It is known to all that only the procedure cost in private sector is in hundred thousands and it is done here without expenditure of single penny from patient’s side. It also supports free of cost cardiac procedures for poor patients through philanthropic support for the sole motivation.

Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation (SIUT)

SIUT is another outstanding institute which is providing free of cost medical treatment for kidney and liver diseases. It is a renowned center for kidney transplantation in Pakistan.

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SIUT started as an eight-bed ward in the Civil Hospital, Karachi. In the years following its inception, it has progressed from a small ward to a centre of excellence in Pakistan. In 1991, it was granted the status of an institute by an Act of the Sindh Provincial Assembly and is one of the leading Nephrourologic & Transplant Centre in the developing world. The SIUT Trust was established in 2005 as a charitable trust for the benefit of the poor patients to provide health facilities, medical treatment, medical education, and financial assistance for them. Patients suffering from end stage organ diseases are given free of cost treatment at SIUT.

The first successful liver transplant in Pakistan was performed at SIUT on 25 November 2003. This was undertaken after three years of developing an intensive Liver Transplant program. A six-month old baby was transplanted in collaboration with King’s College Hospital London. His maternal uncle donated a portion of his liver for the operation.

The Indus Hospital

It is the Pakistan first ever paperless hospital where all records are maintained electronically. Thehumble beginnings of Indus Hospital can be traced back to the year 2005, when a group of dedicated doctors, philanthropists and businessmen came forward and pledged support for the disadvantaged communities in Karachi by establishing a state-of-the-art hospital.

Fuelled by a passion to serve people unable to afford health-care facilities, their determination planted the seeds of a vision that culminated in the creation of a 150 bed tertiary care center in July 2007 with the philanthropic support of The Ruffaydah Foundation and The Islamic Mission Hospital Trust.

It is the only initiative of its kind in Pakistan to provide premium health-care in an impressive, state-of-the art health center completely free to everyone.

Patient Welfare Association (PWA)

Three students of Dow Medical College led to the foundation of Patients’ Welfare Association (PWA) in 1979 with a cabinet of medicines with possessing the motto “WE FEEL, WE SERVE”.

Through years, PWA has transformed into the largest student run voluntary welfare organization of Pakistan with sole objective of helping deserving patients and to provide quality medical facilities free of cost.

The services PWA offers free-of-cost includes but not limited to:

Voluntary Blood Bank: One of the largest & the most reputed blood bank in Karachi, providing more than 250 pints of blood/day for transfusions across the city, thoroughly screened for transfusion-borne diseases using state-of-the-art technology.

Thalassemia Services: Provides blood transfusion, medications and regular check-ups to around 100 children suffering from the disease. The Thalassemia Day Care center has also been established in 2011.

These are only few examples which I have mentioned as I have limited space but there is much more great things going around in Pakistan which become even greater as they are going in the environment depicted by majority.

It is not a fairy tale that you flew a magic stick and all of sudden things are changed.

STOP projecting the bad side of Pakistan health sector, it is true we had problems and there is corruption, but we should all step forward to acknowledge and promote the other side of the picture too.

1 COMMENT

It is matter of great national pride that a hospital in Pakistan (Shifa International Hospital Islamabad) has so far performed more than 340 living donor liver transplant surgeries in Pakistan. The center was established in 2012 and since it has been performing the transplant surgeries as per International standards & parameters of success.

There are still a lot of patients who are advised by Medical agencies and agents to visit Indian hospitals as Indian hospitals provide commission and financial incentive to these agents.

I just would like to advice all the patients who have been recommended Liver Transplant to first visit Shifa International Hospital and then decide about their options for treatment.